Franchise counsel
Franchise agreements, read before you pay
You are about to hand over a fee and sign for ten years of someone else’s rules. I read the disclosure document and the agreement together, and I tell you what they commit you to.
The agreement is only half the story. The disclosure document says what the franchisor reports about its own stores, who has left and why, and what you will owe each month. I read the two against each other, mark where they disagree, and give you a short list of what is worth asking the franchisor to change.
Some terms move and some never do. I say which is which, so you spend your goodwill on the ones that can.
What I check
Fees: the upfront fee, royalties, ad fund and technology charges
Territory, and what the franchisor may open beside you
Renewal, transfer and the cost of selling your unit
Termination, and what you owe if you leave early
Personal guarantees and who else signs
How a review goes
- 01
Step 1: You send the papers
The disclosure document, the draft agreement and anything the franchisor’s salesperson promised in writing.
- 02
Step 2: I read them side by side
I note every fee, every deadline and every place the two documents say different things.
- 03
Step 3: We talk it through
One call, in plain words, with a one-page list of what to ask for and what to walk away from.
- 04
Step 4: You decide
If you want me to speak to the franchisor, I quote that work first. If you pass, you have lost only the review fee.
What owners ask before signing
Can I negotiate a franchise agreement?
Sometimes. Large brands change little, but smaller systems often move on territory, transfer terms and the length of a personal guarantee. I tell you which points are worth the ask.
Is the disclosure document the same as the agreement?
No. The disclosure document is the franchisor’s required summary of its business and your costs. The agreement is the contract you sign. Both matter, and they should agree.
Do you help brands that want to franchise?
For a small brand writing its first franchise offer, yes. I do not act for a franchisor against its franchisees.
Have the papers in front of you?
Book a first call and send what you were handed. I will say what I see before you sign anything.